Hughes plans to plug gaps

MARK HUGHES acknowledged that Manchester City are still far from the finished article after they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory at home yesterday to title-chasing Liverpool.

“We are still a team with obvious frailties and we will work to address them in January when the transfer window opens again,” explained the City manager after seeing his side throw away a two-goal half-time lead.

City had looked odds-on favourites to record a first Premier League win in seven attempts against the Merseysiders.

“We were excellent in the first half and took the game to a very good Liverpool side. We caused them as many problems as any team has,” Hughes continued.

But in the proverbial game of two halves, Liverpool staged a stirring fightback, snatching victory in stoppage time to leave the City supporters stunned.

“It is disappointing given the circumstances, but we shall take the positives from some of the play we produced,” explained Hughes, who added that his side need to work towards a more consistent level of performance.

After the lack-lustre display in the UEFA Cup against Cypriot minnows AC Omonia three days earlier, City certainly came out with all guns blazing.

Stephen Ireland, revitalised since Hughes became manager, broke the deadlock in the 19th minute with a spectacular strike, City’s first against Liverpool in well over nine hours of football.

Spanish left-back Javier Garrido doubled their advantage shortly before half time with a peach of a free kick from 25 yards curled into the top corner, his first goal for City.

Liverpool gained a foothold back into the game early in the second half when Fernando Torres bundled in a scruffy goal from close range following a cross from Fabio Aurelio, the club’s 1,000th goal in the Premier League.

The defining moment in the match came midway through the second half when, within the space of two minutes, Robinho missed a sitter, shooting over from four yards, and City were reduced to 10 men when Pablo Zabaleta was handed a straight red following a dangerous challenge on Xabi Alonso.

Torres again showed why, according to Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, he is “priceless” when he made it 2-2 in the 73rd minute, beating keeper Joe Hart at the near post to head home a corner from Steven Gerrard for his fifth goal of the season.

But a glaring miss from Torres, who blazed over from a couple of yards when he could have completed his hat-trick, looked like proving costly until Dirk Kuyt’s dramatic injury-time winner.

Liverpool, who had used all three substitutes, lost central defender Martin Skrtel to a knee injury as they themselves were reduced to 10 men.

But they maintained the momentum they had built up and when substitute Yossi Benayoun crossed from the left, Torres saw his shot deflected off Richard Dunne and Dirk Kuyt lashed home his first goal of the season.

Boss Benitez said: “The character we showed in the second half was the key and the players showed belief . Their determination was fantastic.”